European Parliament to vote on tech sovereignty proposal in July

The European Parliament is acceptable to ballot connected a exertion sovereignty connection submitted by the Committee connected Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) nether the enactment of pro-Bitcoin lawmaker Sarah Knafo.

ITRE, 1 of 24 lasting committees successful the European Parliament, connected June 3 adopted a non-binding study connected tech sovereignty and integer infrastructure, calling for a European argumentation for the integer ecosystem.

The connection highlights concerns that Europe is falling down the United States and China successful strategical sectors specified arsenic the cloud, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and connection infrastructure.

The study suggests lifting barriers to backstage concern successful innovation, promoting energy-efficient computing and blockchain infrastructure and safeguarding privateness successful integer finance.

Parliament ballot expected successful July

According to the connection from the ITRE, the European Parliament is expected to ballot connected the connection successful the upcoming plenary session.

Knafo, a cardinal backer of the proposal, told Cointelegraph that the ballot volition astir apt hap during the July session.

“If each the right-wing parties ballot successful favour of the text, and usually they should, we person a bully accidental to get a majority,” said Knafo. “But left-wing parties enactment unit connected the center-right enactment to artifact it. We volition spot if they defy it.”

Sarah Knafo’s announcement connected ITRE adopting her connection connected tech sovereignty (translated by Google). Source: Sarah Knafo

Knafo emphasized that the study is not yet a legally binding portion of authorities and is expected to specify governmental guidelines only.

Is the EU acceptable for a integer revolution?

“I powerfully judge that we are inactive astatine the precise opening of the integer revolution. So far, Europe is lagging behind, to accidental the least,” Knafo said, adding:

“We person each the talented engineers and scientists we request to drawback up with the US and China. We conscionable request a suitable governmental framework to fto them enactment successful Europe.”

While Knafo is assured astir the imaginable for a integer gyration successful the EU, immoderate commentators are little optimistic astir the outcome.

Related: Digital euro, not MiCA, cardinal to managing crypto risks: Bank of Italy chief

Skeptics successful the French media portal Frontières expressed gratitude for Knafo’s efforts but doubt whether the connection would summation the enactment of a bulk of the parliament’s 720 lawmakers.

“Change volition travel from the nations. Change volition travel from people. AfD [Alternative for Germany], Poland, Hungary, Netherlands. It’s shy but it moves,” 1 commenter wrote.

Knafo’s protestation against the integer euro

Knafo’s advocacy for tech sovereignty follows her vocal absorption to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) plans for a integer euro. In a code to the European Parliament successful precocious 2024, she called alternatively for a Bitcoin (BTC) strategical reserve

“No to the integer euro, yes to a strategical Bitcoin reserve,” Knafo stated successful her code to the European Parliament past December.

However, the European Union has moved successful the other direction, with ECB officials specified arsenic Piero Cipollone highlighting the urgent request for the integer euro to counteract the rising adoption of US dollar stablecoins.

In January 2025, ECB President Christine Lagarde besides dismissed the accidental to make a Bitcoin reserve, emphasizing that cardinal slope reserves indispensable beryllium “liquid, unafraid and safe.”

Magazine: AI cures blindness, ‘good’ propaganda bots, OpenAI doomsday bunker: AI Eye